mezza

How to Make a Mini Skein – No Calculations!

October 5, 2019 // by mezza// Leave a Comment

mini skein of hand dyed yarn from Lottie Knits - purples, blues and greens

I’m going to show you how to make a mini skein – no calculations, measuring or complicated maths. You’ll just need a swift and a set of reasonably accurate scales.

I’m taking part in the Posh Yarn Advent Swap 2019. This is a really fun swap that takes place on the Posh group on Ravelry. Each participant winds 24 x 10g of Posh 4ply/Sock yarn into balls or mini skeins, wraps them up (preferably in a festive fashion) and sends them off to the organiser. Each participant then receives a delicious parcel with 24 little packages of beautiful, hand dyed yarn which can be opened, one each day, just like an advent calendar.

I took part last year and I thoroughly enjoyed it, however, at the time, I didn’t know how to make a mini skein so hand winding 24 little balls of yarns was a real bore.

This year, I decided to get to grips with making mini skeins. As we all do, I had a quick look on you tube… it seemed so complicated to get a specific weight and yardage. In the end, I came up with this simple method for making a mini skein – no calculations involved!

How To Make A Mini Skein

You’ll need:

A swift. Any kind of swift will work – I have a simple Sunflower Swift (no longer made). An umbrella swift is also good.
A set of accurate scales (I’m using my digital kitchen scales).
Scissors.

Before you start, you’ll need to make sure that your hank of yarn has been wound into a cake or ball. If you’ve wound it into a ball, you’ll also need a bowl to put it in, so that it doesn’t roll off the table and bounce round the room!

Instructions

Place your cake (or ball AND bowl) on your scales.
Tare the scales, i.e. set to zero. On mine, I have to hold the “on” button down for a couple of seconds.
Set your swift to the desired size – this will effect the length of your mini skein. I’ve set mine with a radius of about 10″/26cm.
Secure the end of the yarn to the swift.

Three images. First image - scales, ball of yarn, scissors and swift. Image two - scales set to zero with yarn on. Image three - end of yarn attached to swift

5. Start winding the yarn onto the swift, keeping an eye on the scales.
6. When the scales are minus the desired weight (e.g. 10g), stop, ending at the point where you secured the end of the yarn.
7. Cut the yarn, wrap the two ends around each other and then wrap one end around all the strands and fasten off.

Swift with yarn, yarn cake on scales, tying off yarn.

8. Carefully remove the yarn from the swift, making sure the strands are kept together, using your index fingers.
9. Extend your arms and start to twist each end in opposite directions, being careful that the yarn doesn’t slip off your fingers!

Woman in white crochet top, twisting yarn

10. Twist until it’s quite tight. I needed to twist 11 times. If it’s too loose the skein ends up looking messy and if you over-twist, you could accidentally damage the yarn by overstretching it. You might need a few goes to get this just right.
11. Draw your hands towards each other. The yarn should naturally start twisting together.
12. Transfer the loop off yarn off one finger to join the other.

woman in white top twisting a mini skein of hand dyed yarn

13. Gently pull and massage the twist to make the “twizzle” uniform.
14. You might need to give each end a couple of extra twists if they are not as tight as the rest of the mini skein.

15. Now you’re going to tuck one end into the other.
15. That’s it! You should now have a cute little mini skein!

woman's hands holding a mini skein of yarn

Need to SEE this being done?

I also have a You Tube video “How To Make A Mini Skein” :

Disclosure : I sometimes use affiliate links for my favourite yarns and other accessories!

Learn To Crochet – Private Tuition in Surrey – Gift Voucher

September 23, 2019 // by mezza

Learn To Crochet – private tuition in Surrey. Buy a voucher – the perfect gift for a friend, family member or why not treat yourself?

What’s included in the Voucher?

The cost of the voucher includes:

2 x 1.5 hour one-to-one tuition.
Starter kit with everything you need (crochet hook, yarn, stitch markers, needle & project bag).
Class notes, including photo tutorials.

Which crochet techniques are covered?

During the course, you’ll make circles, a traditional granny square and a solid granny square. You’ll also learn how to join motifs together.

We’ll cover most of the essential crochet techniques such as:

How to hold the yarn & hook.
Chaining.
The basic crochet stitches – single crochet, double crochet & slip stitch.
Starting & finishing rows / rounds.
Weaving in ends.
Changing colours.
Different ways to finish off.
Joining motifs, either by sewing or crocheting.

How much does it cost?

For the tuition, materials & a printable PDF voucher, the cost is £60.
For an additional £6.99 I can also gift wrap and send the starter kit and voucher to the recipient by 1st Class Recorded mail.
The recipient will also receive a login to a course page on my website which features helpful video tutorials of all the techniques covered in the class.

Why are two sessions recommended?

One session often doesn’t give enough time and practise to fully absorb the new skills you’ll learn. Two sessions, ideally spread no more than 1 week apart, gives you time to practise what you’ve learnt in the first session and build on that in the second class. Often, after you’ve gone home from the first class and had a go at crocheting independently, you’ll soon discover you need a bit of extra clarification on a few points to build your confidence and put you on the right track.

What are the times and dates of the lessons?

Currently, I am only available to teach private lessons on the following days and times:

Wednesdays 9:30-11:00am & 1:30-3:00pm
Thursdays 1:30-3:00pm & 7:30-9:00pm
Fridays 9:30-11:00am, 1:30-3:00pm & 7:30-9:00pm

If you need half an hour here or there, I can sometimes accommodate. You can arrange the times and dates before you purchase the voucher or the recipient can get in touch with me afterwards to make arrangements.

How long is the voucher valid for?

The vouchers are valid for 6 months from the date of issue. This can be extended under mitigating circumstances.

Where does the private tuition take place?

I teach one to one sessions in my home studio in Hersham, Surrey. It’s a good sized room and I have lots of craft books and crochet projects to help inspire you!

Under some circumstances, I am able to teach at the students home.

What is my teaching experience?

With a background in Art & Design and I working in product development, I’m naturally attracted to all things crafty and I absolutely LOVE sharing and teaching my passion for crochet. I have taught crochet now for over 10 years, since December 2013. I have taught regularly at the art centre in Walton-on-Thames, the Riverhouse Barn . I have also taught for the WI Surrey & for the Kennet Valley Guild of Spinners & Weavers. Over the years, I’ve acquired a steady stream of private, one to one clients, ranging from complete beginners to more advanced students that require help with specific techniques or patterns.
I can teach all levels from complete beginners to more advanced students.

Discounts for small group bookings

Would you like to learn to crochet with a friend or relative? I can accommodate up to 4 students at one time.
1 person : £60
2 people : £50 each
3 people : £45 each
4 people : £40 each

Everyone is welcome!

I warmly welcome everyone, regardless of sex, race or age… although there is a caveat to age : I predominantly teach adults. I am happy to teach young adults or children that are mature enough to concentrate and are willing to learn. With private tuition, I do ask that any child under 18 is accompanied by an adult.

Buy now!

Learn to crochet – Private Crochet Lessons in Surrey.

Mesh Soap Bag – Free Crochet Pattern

September 13, 2019 // by mezza// Leave a Comment

This free mesh soap bag crochet pattern came about for two reasons. Firstly, I am actively trying to reduce my plastic use. One way I’ve done this is to switch from shower gels & hand wash to solid soap. I wanted a way to keep my soap in the shower yet prevent it from going soggy by hanging it away from the flow of the water. Secondly, I’d had multiple requests from students asking how to make a crocheted mesh market bag. So I decided to make a mesh soap saver as it incorporates most of the principles & design elements used in the market bags, just on a smaller scale. If you’ve never tried it before, this pattern is a good introduction to the crochet mesh stitch.

Small Steps To Environmentally Friendliness

More importantly, we can all help reduce plastic waste if we switch from plastic bottled liquid soaps, cleansers and shower gels to bar soaps. Please make this in cotton yarn as acrylic yarns can shed micro-plastics into the water supply. To be extra considerate, you may wish to check your soaps don’t contain palm oil or that the palm oil is at least grown and harvested in a sustainable fashion.

cotton crocheted mesh soap bag with soap, selection of colourful yarn and soaps and a handful of light wooden beads

The simple, cotton, mesh bag is available in two sizes & features a crocheted lucet tie-cord and a hanging loop to help your soap dry out between uses. It’s also a great way to store and use up small, leftover pieces of soap.

Size

The large soap bag is designed to fit a 6cm x 11cm x 2.5cm bar of soap & the small soap bag fits a 8cm x 5cm x 3cm however, the beauty of mesh means it’s very stretchy – either size would easily fit a smaller or even slightly larger bar of soap. Once you’ve mastered the basic principle, you can easily customise the size of the bag. In the same way, although the pattern is written for DK yarn you could easily switch to Aran or Worsted weight with an appropriate hook for a slightly larger size.

The large soap in the photos is made by Nesti Dante. The smaller, personalised soap is from Ella Wood – www.ella-wood.co.uk

three images showing empty brown crochet mesh soap bag & bar of soap, close up detail of the beaded cord and a circle of 7 crocheted bags

The pattern features written instructions as well as charts & photos. I have also made additional tutorials and YouTube videos for the picot stitch edging and the lucet cord.

Materials

You’ll need a small amount of DK cotton yarn, a 3.5mm hook and two wooden beads with large holes.

Please note, this pattern has not been tech edited. It has been tested during a mini workshop I ran in Norway. 6 students made this bag and we didn’t come across any issues. Everybody completed the pattern and ended up with a good looking soap bag!

Download Pattern

Get your free mesh soap bag crochet pattern from Ravelry – download now

Connect with me!

You can often find me on Instagram. Please do follow and tag me @mezzamay if you make one of my patterns, use one of my tips or stitch patterns. I really love to see what you’re making.

Why not sign up to my newsletter to receive news about my latest patterns, tutorials and giveaways!

Affiliate Links

I use affiliate links in my posts. If you click on a link and buy something I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you.

Support me!

If you have enjoyed my free content or have found my tips and techniques useful, please consider making a small donation by buying me a coffee via Ko-fi.

New 4 Week Learn To Crochet Course – 21st September 2019

September 3, 2019 // by mezza// 2 Comments

Do you want to learn to crochet?

I am running a new beginner’s course at the Riverhouse Arts Centre in Walton-on-Thames starting September 2019.

This course is for you if :

– You have never crocheted before.
– You have crocheted in the past but are a bit rusty or you would like to build your confidence with basic stitches.
– You are self taught either from books and/or the internet and want to clarify areas that you are unsure of or worried that you might be doing incorrectly.

I use a specially developed small project to teach you how to make a solid granny square.
You will learn all the essential techniques that can be applied to most basic projects such as:

choosing the right size hook and yarn
how to hold your hook and yarn
chaining
slip stitch, single & double crochet
how to make a square
how to change colours
how to join motifs using sewing and crochet
how to make a cord
how to finish off

The course includes:
4 x 2 hour practical classes, spread over 4 weeks.
All materials, including yarn, hooks and project bag.
Detailed class notes including photos to help you practise at home.
Email support during the duration of the course.

Course dates:
Saturday 21st September 2019 – Saturday 19th October 2019, 15:30 – 17:30. Please note: there is no class on Saturday 5th October.

Week 1: Saturday 21st September 2019, 15:30 – 17:30
Week 2: Saturday 28th September 2019, 15:30 – 17:30.
Week 3: Saturday 12th October 2019, 15:30 – 17:30.
Week 4: Saturday 19th October 2019, 15:30 – 17:30.

Cost: £60 (includes all the required materials)

Booking:
Please complete the online booking form from here. Full payment of the course is required to secure your place and places are given on a “first paid” basis.

What you might want to bring:

Notepad & pen.
Scissors.
Drink.

This is a great way to learn a new hobby in a friendly setting where you can meet other students with similar interests as well as supporting your local arts centre!

To express an interest or for more details, please contact me.

I also list my classes on Meetup.

FAQ:

Q: I would like to attend your course but I am not able to make all the classes.
A : You can still get a lot out of the course, even if you have to skip some of the weeks, however, Week 1 & Week 2 are mandatory. The full cost of the course also applies, even if you can only make some of the classes.

Q: I do not need the starter kit as I have my own yarn and hooks.
A: After many years of teaching crochet to beginners, I have found that the hooks and yarn used make a massive difference to how easily the student picks up the technique and how much they enjoy the experience. Students that bring unsuitable equipment invariably end up frustrated so I have made the decision to provide and include all the materials in the cost of the course.

Q: I am a knitter. I’d like to crochet but I’m worried I won’t be able to.
A: Yes, I have come across this concern many times. There still seems to be a misconception that you either knit or crochet… of course you can do both! Often those with previous experience of knitting or other types of handicrafts can find picking up a new skill relatively easy.

Q: I use a wheelchair, is there wheelchair access to the studio?
A: Yes, there is a ramp into the studio. Please get in touch when you book and I will double check with the staff at the Riverhouse that everything is set up correctly for you.

Q: The dates of this course don’t suit me, will you be running another course and if so, when?
A: I usually run my beginners classes twice a year on Saturdays in September and January. If you are not free on Saturdays, I offer one-to-one classes from my home studio. I can also teach small, private groups of up to 4 people if you have friends/family that would like to join you. Please contact me for more information.

Crochet Lucet Cord Tutorial

August 5, 2019 // by mezza// Leave a Comment

Throughout the years I’ve taught crochet , there have been many projects where a cord is required (e.g. the mesh soap bag). There are many options for making cords and having tried various methods, I’ve found that the Crochet Lucet Cord or Four Sided Chain is my favourite option for the following reasons:

You don’t need any special equipment – yes, you can make a lucet cord without a lucet!
You can use the hook you’re already using for your project.
The technique is easy to memorise.
Once you get a rhythm going, the cord works up pretty quickly.
It makes a firm and thick cord.
The finished cord is flexible yet strong.
It’s very attractive – it looks like a four sided chain.

Materials

Yarn – thicker is better for a good effect. I’m using a DK weight yarn doubled up (Paintbox Cotton DK in Melon Sorbet).
A crochet hook – in this example I’m using a 3.5mm hook (Clover Amour). Use a slightly smaller hook than you’d normally use for the yarn thickness otherwise the stitches in the cord can end up being too slack.

How much yarn will I need for my cord?

You’ll need about 9 x the finished length of your cord.
E.g. desired cord is 30cm /12 inches long, so I’ll need 2.7 m / 3 yards of yarn or 2 x 2.7 m / 3 yards if you’re doubling up.

Crochet Instructions

Wind off a separate ball of yarn from your main skein to make a double thickness thread – tie the ends together to keep them together to start with.
With the tail end to the left, lay the yarn on a flat surface in an “arc” shape (fig. 1).
Fold over the top of the arc (fig. 2) , to make 2 “loops”.
Insert the hook into the right loop, from above, then, coming from underneath, bring the hook up through the left loop (fig. 3) .

orange cotton dk yarn showing steps to making a crochet lucet cord

Pull the loops tight on the hook (fig. 4).
Rearrange the yarn – move the working end of the yarn over the left and hold the tail end as if to make a chain (fig. 5).
Yarn over and pull a loop through the first loop on the hook, i.e. ch1 with the left loop (fig. 5).

red crochet hook and orange cotton yarn showing how to make a crochet lucet cord

Carefully remove this loop from the hook (fig. 7).
Pinch this loop between your thumb and middle finger (or forefinger if you use your middle finger to feed the yarn) to stop it coming undone when you work the next stitch (fig. 8).
Ch1 with the right loop (fig. 9).

Replace the left loop on the hook (fig. 10)…
…and ch1 with the left loop (fig. 11).
Continue in this way, i.e. drop & hold left loop, ch1 right loop, replace left loop; ch1 left loop…until the cord measures desired length (fig. 12).

To finish off, after a ch1 left loop, yarn over and pull the yarn through both the left and right loops (fig. 13).
Cut the yarn, yarn over and pull through the loop on the hook and all the way out. Pull tight (fig. 14).
Tie a tight knot in each end and trim, or as in this example, you could also add a bead at each end for a decorative effect (fig. 15).

hands crocheting a lucet cord using yellow cotton yarn

TIP : To even out the cord, roll it between your fingers and pull it gently all along is length. This makes a big difference to the look of the cord – making it firmer and smoother.

You can also find a video of this technique on my YouTube channel:

Disclosure

I sometimes use affiliate links to my favourite yarns, hooks and other craft materials.

Perfect Crochet Picot Stitch – Tutorial

August 4, 2019 // by mezza// Leave a Comment

I’ve put together this tutorial showing you how to get the perfect picot stitch. When I first started crocheting, I struggled to get my picot stitches looking right… they didn’t stand up straight and they weren’t symmetrical. There are quite a few different ways to make a crochet picot stitch – you’ll be especially aware of this if you have ever made Irish Crochet. Eventually, after much trial and error, I started making them the way I’ll describe below – this method consistently gives me a satisfying, even, symmetrical and upright set of picots!

In the following crochet tutorial, I am adding the picot stitch trim to my “Mesh Soap Bag“, which is a free pattern.

3 Single Crochet & Chain 3 Picot Stitch Pattern

This is a simple stitch pattern of 3sc, ch3 picot. In the round it’s a 3 stitch repeat and worked flat it’s a 3 stitch repeat + 2.

The stitch pattern looks like this, in a chart format:

crochet chart showing symbols for a chain 3 picot stitch pattern

If you’re unfamiliar with crochet charts : the crosses are the single crochet stitches & the three loops and dot represent the chain 3 and slip stitch

chart showing 3 single crochet & chain 3 picot with the picot highlighted with a red circle